Femulen

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

You should tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are using, particularly those listed below, before you start taking this contraceptive. This includes those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines. Likewise, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting any new medicines while you are taking this contraceptive, so they can check that the combination is safe.

The following medicines reduce the blood level of this contraceptive, making it less effective at preventing pregnancy:

antiepileptic medicines, eg phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate

barbiturates

griseofulvin

modafinil

nelfinavir

nevirapine

ritonavir

rifampicin

rifabutin

the herbal remedy St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum).

If you regularly take any of these medicines, this contraceptive is not recommended for you.

If you are prescribed a short course of any of these medicines, you will need to use an alternative or additional method of contraception (eg condoms), while you take the medicine and for at least four weeks after stopping it. (If you are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, an alternative method of contraception is always recommended because these antibiotics make the pill so ineffective.)

Other antibiotics will not affect this pill, unless you get diarrhoea or are sick while taking them. In this case, follow the instructions under warnings above.

You should not take St John's wort while you are taking this pill as it will make it less effective at preventing pregnancy.

This pill may increase the blood level of the immunosuppressant ciclosporin.

This pill may decrease the blood level of the antiepileptic medicine lamotrigine.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain etynodiol as the active ingredient.

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